Commercial pie plate



Jan. 26, 1943.

- J. w. WATKINS COMMERCIAL PIE PLATE Filed Oct. 28, 1940 UM 4L Patented Jan. 26, 1943 TESPfATENT OFFICE COMMERCIAL PIE PLATE Joseph W. Watkins, San Antonio, Tex.

Application October 28, 1940, Serial No. 363,199

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to a commercial pie package for protecting pies from contamination and to meet the requirements of health departments in various states and municipalities.

It is an object of the present invention to provide such a package which will protect the pie from foreign matter by sealing same in a sanitary package and permit the entire top of the pie to be clearly seen from the exterior of the package.

Another object of the invention is to provide a package having means thereon to facilitate cutting of the pie whether sealed in the package or not.

A further object of the invention is to provide a package in which the plate portion, when manufactured, may be nested with similar plates to save space in shipping.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims and shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the package in Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the assembly parts partly broken away.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the package includes a pie plate I which isv preferably of the composition or compressed pulp type, such as one made of paper stock or fibre since these are inexpensive and may be discarded after a single use. The pie plate consists of a bottom wall 2, the inclined side wall 3 forming the pie chamber 4, and an annular vertical flange 5.

The flange 5 of the plate is shown provided with a rounded or beaded portion 5 extending around the flange at a point where the flange rises from the top ledge portion 1 of the plate 1 for a purpose to be described later.

The vertical flange 5 is further provided with slits 8 at spaced intervals to act as guides for a cutter when cutting the pie in sections. These slits 8 extend through the entire flange portion 5 and beaded portion 6 and are of suificient width to permit cutting means to be engaged therein. While five slits are shown in the draw ing it is understood that any number may be provided, depending on the number of sections in which the pie is to be out.

The slits 8 may also be arranged in dia'metric opposed relation whereby the cutting means would engage two opposed slits at the same time whereby the pie. could be cut in much shorter time.

As shown in Figure 2 a pie 9 consisting of the usual top and bottom crust, a. filling, and the usual rim I0 extending around the pie where the top and bottom crusts meet. The pic lies in the compartment 4 of the plate so that the bottom crust rests on the bottom wall 2 of the plate and inclined wall 3 of the plate and the top crust and rim It extending upwardly within the flange 5 and substantially abutting against same.

The top covering which is placed over the top crust of the pie consists of a sheet H or" pliable and transparent material such as Cellophane or the like. The other member of the package consists of a tape or band l2 of suitable material such as cloth, paper or transparent material such as Cellophane. This tape is provided on one side with an adhesive and the other side may contain advertising material such as the name of'the bakery or the kind of the pie in the p ck The tape or band may be provided in roll form and is preferably of a width to cover the slits i3 whenattached to the flange 5. While it has been stated that the tape has an adhesive coating on one side, this is not obligatory as the tape maybe uncoated and adhesive applied to the meeting ends when applied.

In assembling the package, the pie is placed in the plate and occupies the compartment 4, the rim 1;!) substantially abutting the flange 5'. The transparent sheet material ll cut to the required size is placed over the pie so that its outer portion extends over the flange 5, heading 6 and slits 8.

The tape I2 is then applied over the sheet material ll around the flange 5 and the ends of the tape are overlapped, as indicated at [4 in Figure 1, and attached to each other when the tape has been applied all around the flange '5. Thus the parts are secured together for their ultimate destination.

The pic is entirely enclosed and protected against contamination, so that it remains in sanitary condition up to the time the package is opened or the pie cut by the consumer.

The slits 8 serving as guides for a knife or other cutting means may be utilized in two ways. If desired the pie may be out while the transparent sheet I I is in its attached position on the plate. Or the transparent sheet may be removed by detaching the tape from the flange by taking top lapped end and pulling same from the flange. In either case, the knife is placed over one of the slits and the pie out in the usual manner, the slits serving as guides for the knife. In the case of diametrically opposed slits, the knife or other cutter is spanned over the two opposed slits and pressed into the pie to cut same.

The rounded or beaded portion 6 of the flange 5 in combination with the slits 8 permits a number of the plates being nested together at the time of manufacture and conserves space in the shipping thereof to the bakery or other user. Of course this refers to the plate portion without the covering or tape as these are usually applied at a later time at various destinations. The nesting is possible due to the relatively free flange portions l3 between the slits 8. A certain amount of movement of each free portion l3 allows the portions to be bulged out beyond the plate proper to accommodate a nesting plate. The beaded portion of each plate fits in the corresponding bead of a similar plate and the beaded portion being part of each free flange portion has a corresponding amount of movement.

If desired the vertical flange 5 of the plate I may extend slightly beyond the top of the pie when same is in compartment 4 so that the slits 8 are visible. Ordinarily the meeting edges of the top and bottom crustsare below the central part of the pie and this permits a View of the slits in the flange 5 which is at least as high as the highest portion of the pie. The use of transparent tape would of course permit a view of the slits and this may be used when the pie obscures the slits.

Fromthe foregoing it will be apparent that the present package affords ample protection to the pie to prevent breakage, excludes dirt etc., renders the whole top of the pie visible while in the package and provides means to guide the cutter when the pie is cut in sections.

While the invention has been described as used for pie packages, it will be apparent that same may be used for any food product. The plate may be made of various sizes according to the size of the product to be contained in the package.

It will be noted, particularly from Figure 3, that the slits 8 extend down to and preferably through the head 6 so that the sectors I3 of the combined flange 5 and bead 6 between adjacent incisions 8 are free to fold outwardly in a radial direction about a horizontal curved line connecting the inner ends of the slits 8. This horizontal curved or hinge line may be coincident with the bead 6 or slightly below the same; in other words the slits may extend into the rim or shelf I.

The bead 6 being outwardly bulged and inwardly hollow in vertical alinement with the flange 5 will increase the flexibility of the sectors 13 and facilitate their radial hinging movement, .thus permitting the various sectors l3 to move in and out relatively to one another and independently of one another, accommodating themselves to a correct position with respect to similar parts of other pie plates nested therewith.

In case the hinging line extends into the rim 1, that is within the bead 6, the flange 5 will not only rotate about this inner hinge line but it will also have an independent rotation about the bead 6 which introduces a flexible connection between the flange 5 and said inner hinge line. Thus .the flange 5 will be capable of two rotary motions in radial directions which will increase the selfadjusting function of the flange 5 and bead 6. Therefore the slits 8 have the double function of acting as guides for a knife and of dividing the flange 5 and bead 6 into independently moving sectors; and there is a direct cooperation between these slits 8,,the flange 5, bead 6 and also with the rim 1 where the slits enter the rim.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from. the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claim:

What is claimed is:

A fibrous container for a food product comprising a bottom,v an outwardly and upwardly flared wall encompassing said bottom and provided with a rim, an. upstanding flange integral with said rim, an outwardly bulged and inwardly hollow bead in alinement with said flange connecting said flange and rim, said flange and bead having incisions extending from the edge of the flange to points adjacent the rim. and dividing said flange and head into spaced sections having hinging movement about a circumferential line connecting the inner ends of said incisions and about said flexible beads, the upper outer edge of the flange being substantially'flush with the exterior wall of the flange toform a guiding edge over which a flexible container cover may be bent to extend down the exterior wall of the flange in surface engagement therewith.

JOSEPH W. WATKINS. 

